Childberyng

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. The process of bearing and giving birth to offspring, especially as it relates to a woman's reproductive years
2. Bringing children into the world through pregnancy and delivery, a central part of a woman's reproductive life
3. The act of carrying a pregnancy to term and delivering a baby, particularly during a woman's fertile years

Etymology: The sense of "bear" that matters here is the older one. In Old English, "beran" meant both "to carry" and "to give birth," so the verb already covered a mother carrying a child and bringing it into the world. This term joins "child" with the verbal noun of that verb, "bering," the act of bearing. Its spelling with "-yng" reflects Middle English, when the form was in use. The compound is transparent, with no unusual sound changes or borrowing behind it, so its meaning has changed little from the literal "bearing of children." Modern English tends to prefer "childbearing" and "childbirth" for the same idea, but this older spelling shows the parts plainly.